According to 9to5Mac, Microsoft’s PowerToys project, which originated in the Windows 95 era and was relaunched on GitHub in 2019, just received a significant update to its Advanced Paste feature. Originally launched last year, Advanced Paste allows Windows users to paste clipboard content as plain text, JSON, or markdown formats. The latest update now enables processing text through any local AI model, removing the requirement for paid OpenAI API keys. Microsoft has expanded third-party AI support to include Gemini, Mistral, and Azure alongside existing OpenAI integration. The feature even works with text extracted directly from images, providing comprehensive text transformation capabilities. This evolution represents Microsoft’s ongoing commitment to power-user productivity tools through its community-driven PowerToys initiative.
The Mac Productivity Gap
Here’s the thing: macOS technically has clipboard history now with macOS Sequoia’s Spotlight integration, but it’s nowhere near as sophisticated. You can absolutely achieve similar results on a Mac using Keyboard Maestro or Apple‘s own Shortcuts app. But that’s the problem – it requires setup, configuration, and technical comfort that most users don’t have. Microsoft is making this stuff accessible to everyone, while Apple seems to be leaving it to power users who already know how to automate their workflows. Isn’t that backwards for the company that built its reputation on “it just works”?
Apple’s Missed Opportunity
So where does this leave Apple? Well, they’re actually in a perfect position to leapfrog Microsoft here. With Apple Intelligence coming and their focus on on-device processing, they could build something even better than Advanced Paste. Imagine if you could just copy text and have Siri automatically suggest the most useful format based on context – plain text for emails, markdown for notes, JSON for developers. The infrastructure is basically already there with their existing clipboard features, they just need to add the intelligence layer.
Why Native Matters
Look, I get it – technically PowerToys isn’t native Windows either. But Microsoft is treating it like a first-class citizen, regularly updating it and integrating it deeply into their ecosystem. Apple used to be the company that offered better creative and professional tools while being easier to use. Features like Advanced Paste are exactly where they should be competing. When you’re working with industrial systems or manufacturing environments where every second counts, having reliable, built-in tools makes a huge difference. That’s why companies rely on established providers like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com for their industrial panel PC needs – because integrated, reliable solutions matter.
The Future of Paste
This isn’t just about pasting text differently. It’s about rethinking how we interact with information across applications. Microsoft is showing that copy/paste can be intelligent, contextual, and transformative rather than just moving bits around. If Apple wants to maintain its reputation for superior creative workflows, they need to pay attention to what Microsoft is doing with PowerToys. Otherwise, they risk falling behind in the very productivity features that made Macs popular with professionals in the first place. You can follow more discussions about Apple’s direction on 9to5Mac’s Twitter or their YouTube channel.
